Local Maiduguri news, Nigeria

Police Rescue Soldiers From Boko Haram After Attack In Borno

The Nigeria Police Counter-terrorism operatives have rescued two soldiers earlier abducted by Boko Haram fighters in Borno State.

PRNigeria gathered that the terrorists had killed some security personnel and abducted others after an attack on soldiers on a patrol.

This comes after Nigerian troops repelled an attempt by terrorists to seize an army barrack in Maiduguri on Monday.

According to a situation report sighted by PRNigeria, it disclosed that “At 14.30 Hrs of July 13, 20120, an army patrol team was attacked by Boko Haram along Auno Road and killed two soldiers and kidnapped others while carting away two of the military’s gun truck, AK 47 rifles and unspecified numbers of ammunition.

“Counter-Terrorism Unit of the Nigerian Police on pin down point (operation), at the area went after the terrorists. After a gun battle recovered one gun-truck, rifles and rescued two soldiers alive.

“All exhibits handed over to the Commissioner of Police Command."

Meanwhile, in another development, Nigerian troops have thwarted an attempt by Boko Haram terrorists to seize an army barracks in Maiduguri.

PRNigeria learnt that the terrorists had attempted to seize the 333 Artillery Barracks of the Nigerian Army but were resisted after heavy exchanges of fire that lasted for about two hours between Monday night and early Tuesday morning.

Boko Haram Terrorists Attack Maiduguri, Kill Several Residents

Boko Haram terrorists on Monday night attacked Gomari area of Maiduguri, capital of Borno State, multiple sources told SaharaReporters.

A security source disclosed that the insurgents came into the village around 11:05pm, shooting sporadically and killing several persons.

“Gomari, near Airport Road is presently under attack, they have started burning buildings and killing civilians trying to flee.”

Increased attacks by insurgents have been recorded in the area in recent times.

The terrorists have made several attempts to overrun a military base located within the area lately also.

Boko Haram Terrorists Abduct 15 Travellers On Maiduguri-Damaturu Highway

Gunmen believed to be members of Boko Haram on Monday ambushed vehicles travelling along the Maiduguri-Damaturu Highway and abducted over 15 travellers.

A source told SaharaReporters that the insurgents driving in Hilux vehicles, waylaid a Toyota Hiace Mass Transit bus around 2pm on Monday and took all passengers from the vehicle.

The source said the attackers, who were all armed and some were dressed in military uniforms, later released the bus driver.

SaharaReporters gathered that the spot where the insurgents attacked was not far from a military checkpoint.

Similarly, the terrorists on Monday attacked the 333 Artillery Barracks in Maiduguri, Borno State.

Boko Haram Terrorists Demands N20m Ransom From 75-year-old Visually Impaired Displaced Man To Release Abducted Daughter, Niece

Boko Haram terrorists have asked a 75-year-old visually impaired man living in an internally displaced persons camp in Borno State to pay N20m as ransom for his abducted daughter and niece.

Jato Ndarfa, who fled from Gwoza in 2014 after Boko Haram terrorists invaded his village, killing more than 100 people and is now taking refuge at the CAN Center IDP Camp in Maiduguri, asked the Nigerian Government to intervene and ensure the release of members of his family.

He said the terrorists made contact through his niece's phone.

Ndarfa said his daughter is Lami Jato, a 25-year-old graduate of Sir Kashim Ibrahim College of Education, and his niece is Renita Bitrus.

Both were abducted by the terrorists while on a farm at Tungushe Village in the Magumeri Local Government Area of Borno State.

He said, “It was two of them; my daughter, Lami Jato and my niece, Renita Bitrus, who is married with two children; that were abducted by the Boko Haram terrorists.

“It is 15 days now since they were abducted when they went to the farm in Tungushe along the Maiduguri-Monguno Road.

“Initially, they were seven in number at the farm where they were abducted but the terrorists later released four of the men and held one male, the tractor driver, and the two women.”

We Killed 40 Nigerian Soldiers, Snatched Five Military Vehicles, Weapons, Says ISIS

The Islamic State in statement have claimed its fighters killed 40 Nigerian soldiers and injured others in an ambush along Damboa/Maiduguri Highway, about 30 kilometres away from Damboa town.

ISIS in the statement seen by SaharaReporters said ISWAP fighters captured five four-wheel drive vehicles, weapons and ammunition, and burned an armoured vehicle during the attack.

The group mentioned Bulabulin as the exact location where the attack occurred.

The Nigerian military had on Wednesday confirmed the attack but said only two soldiers were killed.

John Enenche, Coordinator of Defence Media Operations, said the troops in conjunction with elements of sector 2 special forces overran the insurgents’ ambush team.

Boko Haram split into two factions in mid-2016.

One led by long-time leader, Abubakar Shekau, is notorious for suicide bombings and indiscriminate killings of civilians.

Shekau pledged allegiance to ISIS leader, Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi, in March 2015 but ISIS central only gives formal backing to the other faction, which it calls Islamic State West Africa Province.

UN suspends air services in North East over attack on helicopter

The United Nations Air Services have been suspended in the troubled North East.

This followed an attack on one of it’s helicopters in Damasak, Borno State by terrorist group.

The helicopter had planned to pick some aid workers in Damasak to Maiduguri on Friday when it aborted its plan as it was shot at by some members of the terrorist group, Boko Haram.

This compelled the United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator in the country, Mr. Edward Kallon, to suspend all air expedition in the area for a week.

A source at one of the UN agencies in Maiduguri told our correspondent anonymously that all aircraft and helicopters had been grounded in Maiduguri.

He said they had been asked not to undertake any expedition out of the town.

He said the attacked helicopter had two holes and could not land in Damasak to pick the people it had gone to pick as it had to immediately turn back to Maiduguri.

The Head, Public Information Unit, United Nations Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN-OCHA) in Nigeria, Ms. Eve Sabbagh, confirmed the attack.

She said a statement would soon be released to the press.